What a Dump
by mangageek23
Summary: A collection of canon divergence or AU's that mostly take a what-if quality. mostly Izuku-centric, but spotlight for the others shine. these will mostly be standalone fics, but long enough to warrant their own thing.


What A Dump

A collection of canon divergence or AU's that mostly take a what-if quality.

For headcanons in direct correlation/tied to canon , check out my fic Sunshine Smiles.

Thank you for looking and enjoy

...ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ

...you already know what it is, I hope you enjoy! Full author's note at bottom. I didn't originally intend to upload to ffn, but I need that validation ahaha,, so here we are! I downloaded the file as odt so all formatting should still be intact ;7; please forgive me for any errors!

edit, to be clear, this first chapter has 2 parts. chapters will be labeled

* * *

Midoriya was just shy of five when he saw a grand ballet performance for the first time.

A single year since being declared quirkless, a year of "Kaachan" no longer being his go-to confidant and childhood teasing began to worsen.

He was hurt but still young bright and full of hope.

The show was a winter classic: "The Nutcracker". Izuku had, understandably, been rather down in spirits, so that Christmas when Inko had gotten tickets for the show as a work bonus, she thought it just the perfect thing, something different.

And different didn't even begin to cover it for adorable little Izuku.

The pair had fantastic seating, right in the middle, perfect enough to just be able to see the expanse of the stage but close enough to see the dancers faces.

Izuku had always been curious in nature, this event was no different. He had a million questions and was awed by the scale of everything, it all felt so grand.

His mother held off on telling him all the details of the story, laughing she had given him a light scolding, "Part of the joy is finding out for yourself!"

Izuku bit his lip to keep any further questions from blurting out, his mother gently ruffled his hair fondly before straightening the curls around his ears.

The lights in the theater darkened and a hush fell over the people. He no longer had to struggle to be silent, his attention totally captured as the music began and curtains raised.

/../

The Nutcracker ballet was a story without words that used music and expressions, to weave a tale, their bodies floating in a way to make the narrative go on. Little Midoriya had never thought of the idea, that so much could be told without actually speaking.

Every so often as a dancer twirled across the stage, lights glinting off the outfits, he would turn to his mother in excitement, eyes bright, grabbing at her sleeve and pointing, as if to say, do you see what I see?

Each time, Inko would smile adoringly at how much passion her sweet boy was showing for it, and realized sadly, it had been a while since she saw him in such a joyous mood outside of hero related things.

/../

The battle with the Rat King had Izuku biting his fingertips, his other hand clenching the fabric of his mothers skirt.

Inko briefly wondered if she'd have to worry about Izuku verbally cheering for the Nutcracker out of worry, she could feel the subtle thrum of energy running through him, likely from keeping the verbiage of word barf from spilling out.

As the fight came to a cumulation, she realized she shouldn't have been worried at all. While Izuku struggled to keep all questions to himself, occasionally murmuring out his thoughts, she had carefully gone over proper decorum for such a performance. And even then, she rarely had to reprimand him from acting out, he was just a kid but he was very well behaved.

It was a little funny, she had her own reasons to appreciate All Might...of course, he was an outstanding pillar to society, but she loved him because there was no greater motivator for a five-year-old than comparing them or referencing their favorite hero.

"If you want to be a good hero like All Might, you must be a good civilian first. Even if it's as simple as following rules, and once you can do that, then you're on your way to being a fantastic hero!"

Maybe it was a little unfair to use All Might's name in such a way... But surely it was understandable...?

In any case, whether due to the number one hero or not, Inko came to a decision to try to bring him to more shows, if only to keep the bright light in his eyes.

As Act One came to a close, she felt sure upon her choice, seeing his bright smile.

/../

Exiting for intermission, all the excited chatter he had stored away came rushing out as he babbled on to his mother.

Others looked on bemusedly at the excited child twirling in line for snacks.

A few uppity murmurs could be heard, but the majority were good company, as they could tell it was his first show, and many could remember their own first show and how excited they were.

A woman dressed in a sweater humored the boy as he retold it breathlessly and _wasn't such and such event so neat? And did you see the dancers outfit?_

An elderly couple even paid for the Midoriya's, the patron, shook off Inko's concern and thanks, simply smiling, that they were just happy to see young folk enjoying the arts.

/../

Act two began, and like before, the magic of the music completely rapturing all attention to the stage.

Out of all the characters, maybe quite obviously, the Sugar Plum Fairy stole the show. She was all he could see. For the first time since Izuku first witnessed All Might's famous debut, he was filled with a great swelling of awe and longing to be there. To have all awe struck into the viewer's hearts, to inspire such a feeling of want like the intense burning he felt inside himself.

In that one moment, his fate changed the hands of events ever so slightly.

In this world, Midoriya Izuku fell in love with dance and found a passion alongside heroics.

/../

Izuku was quiet as they made their way out of the theater, no doubt tuckered out from all the excitement of the day.

On the train ride back, coddled in his mother's arms, he asked with small hesitancy, head buried in her neck. "Mama...do you think...you think I could do that?" His voice going almost impossibly soft, "do you think I could dance like the sugar plum fairy?"

And for a second, Inko's heart hurt at the hesitancy in which he asked, a scene all too familiar to the conversation had, not so long ago...

This time, she squeezed him tight, voice full of conviction.

"Of course you can baby. You'll be the best there ever was."

Izuku's chest tightened, tearing up as his mother pulled him tighter, rubbing circles in his back until he fell asleep.

Inko had many plenties of mistakes when it came to her son, she knew despite his new passion for dance, heroics would always be his end goal. He was young but stubborn, and with a society focused on heroes, she doubts that he'd change his mind so easily. And that scared her, she would support him no matter the cost, heroics, dance, either or both. It pained her to realize that she only just noticed how much her son changed in a year since he was announced quirkless; the boy her son once was reappeared that night and she'd do her damndest to support his dreams from then on.

The world would be stacked against him, as his mother she had a choice and the least she could do is be on his side till the very end.

/../

It took a few weeks but Inko found a dance studio not far from home.

In the time it took searching for a reputable place, she also used it vetting that her son's interest in it was serious and not a passing fancy.

Inko wasn't one to fall to the whims of a five-year-old and fortunately, her five-year-olds interest stayed consistent both in regards to heroes and the new found one for dance. Izuku would have her look up ballet videos as much if not more alongside the hero addled content whenever he could in their free time.

It was also quite comical, Izuku had taken to twirling his action figures and trying to move them in the replication of moves he saw.

As his mother, she knew that while he never said it, he wasn't getting along great with classmates. Or rather, that they seemed to be targeting him, not getting along implied it was an issue on both sides. And while as a parent she may be biased about the entire thing it was hard to be unperceptive the unfair treatment.

She knew he still tried to follow along behind the young Bakugo, and while she couldn't discourage him from the rougher boy, perhaps an extracurricular activity would be just what he needed. As a means of something to do and a new skill to have but also as a means to interact with other people outside their circle of Musfatsu.

So she searched with vigor for affordable, reputable, and nearby places.

With such criteria she was able to narrow it down, one sticking out in particular. Only a visit would make the session absolutely conclusive.

/../

" _Little Steps, Big Leaps"_

Was a little studio just a train ride away from home; a district over, it was a well named. A Relatively small but highly reputable place.

Inko had called ahead for a visit, the director meeting them at the entrance.

Izuku was all shy smiles but incredibly interested, he was allowed to watch in on a class as his mother talked about cost and expectations.

The director, a kindly woman was blunt and to the point. Boys rarely signed up for their ballet dance course, most rather wanting to sign up for just contemporary or the studios hip hop courses. The students overall were taught basics of most things, but they also divided by specialty. The academy was willing to let him train under a grant scholarship program, there were a few other requirements of course, but he was still young and plan flexible.

Inko looked over to her son, his gaze never straying from the dancers. It would seem the choice was already made, nodding along to the words of the director she followed her into the office for the finer details.

Coming back, she found her son had been allowed to join in in their ending warm down.

Holding his hand, she could tell he had a lot on his mind.

But then he turned to her with stars a light in his eyes, "Can I dance like them too ?"

If she hadn't already decided she would have melted right then for him.

"Of course sweetie, of course. "

/../

Though the price for admission of the academy had essentially been waived, the cost of materials, the shoes, leotards and so on would use up nearly all she had saved specifically for admission. Other items needed, she fortunately already had like an All Might themed water bottle and a large gym bag to store everything.

While every parent wished and hoped for their children to grow big and strong, a tiny part of her hoped his shoe size wouldn't change over the next few months.

It fueled double the guilt in her to think, because, in comparison to some of the neighborhood kids, he was rather narrow, he was a bit of a picky eater. And she had trouble getting him to eat his entire meal, no matter how small the portion, she hoped to count it towards the fact he was coming into the age where children liked very specific things and not that he'd be a fussy eater forever.

Inko's income wasn't large, she mostly worked a daytime job that had the same hours to Izuku's school if not just a bit irregular, especially if she had to pick up extra shifts.

Still, with what she made, and what his father sent, she was able to give Izuku a meager but nearly consistent allowance with what was leftover.

Usually and unsurprisingly he spent what he saved on comics and hero toys and cards. After visiting the studio, however, he began picking up picture books on ballet with the terms and positions, practicing against the kitchen table before dinner, and regaling his mother with all the terms and how far he was getting to replicating the moves.

The Midoriya's had little friends and family to regale with the latest and new details. Specifically that Izkuku had begun learning dance. Inko had mentioned it off hand to someone once, and of course, as many small towns do, news got around, and some of the children heard their parents speaking of it.

So when his classmates, in particular, learned of it, the teasing got worse.

It was a "girls sport", of course, "A _Deku_ would do ballet", " _Nerd can't even do sports_ ".

Izuku didn't understand it, what about ballet was " _girly_ "? Couldn't they see dancers move with the same grace and speed that the top heroes used when in action? Couldn't they see the power behind the moves? How they jumped in the air and sailed?

It hurt, be he figured that like he's mumbling, his detailing of heroes, it was just another oddity but not "as unfortunate" as his quirklessness. He couldn't understand it, but what could he do?

At least taking lessons at the academy gave him an excuse to head straight home and not suffer further torment from his classmates.

/../

At the cusp of age ten was when the bullying really began to turn a far worse direction.

Izuku had been attending the dance academy for a while, while the girls in his age bracket weren't the closest of friends, they didn't harass him. The studio had a strict no quirk usage rule, one of the many reasons why the Midoriya's had stayed with the same place for so long.

The director herself had assured them that no sort of harassment or discrimination, rowdy uncouth behavior would be allowed to enter her halls, and so far she had meant and kept every word of it.

Little Steps, Big Leaps dance studio and academy had become his refugee spot, a home away from home. Young but lost in the world of dance.

He had started off clumsy, muscles unused to the exercise but slowly growing stronger; he was a quick learner with bright potential.

Izuku soaked up any and all praise the instructor and on occasion, the director would give, his mother was just happy to see him pursue something outside of heroics, not that he had dropped his true ambition in the slightest.

Classes often exhausted him, not to mention his practice outside of the studio, so he rarely had the energy to chase down hero fights, so instead, he spent his nights listening to reports and interviews of both local and widespread heroes.

Those two things were what kept him hanging on.

Insults his classmates hurt, but not as much as the shoves in the hallway or the ostracization in and out of class.

He was on the cusp of eleven when someone asked if he was gay.

He didn't fully understand the question or the implications of it. Even when his mother later explained it to him that same night, he understood what it was as a concept, but he didn't see why someone would hurl it as if it were an insult.

Gay meant loving someone of the same gender as yourself, or as a more literal definition: of joy. How could someone misconstrue it to use it as something hateful?

Ignorance, he learned, ignorance and fear were the prevalent factors to much hate and discrimination.

People are born not knowing, questioning, not understanding things, but ignorance is also taught.

Izuku learns this at eleven. He learns its from the parents, words and comments and offhand talk he's not meant to here, but he does.

" _Poor dear, he's quirkless you know..."_

" _I heard he does dance like that'll help his case any..."_

" _No wonder they've got an absentee father..."_

At twelve, he is still a child and yet has been forced to grow up in a manner many others have not.

Izuku had learned many a thing, and yet, no matter how much older he got, he couldn't comprehend the malice, the hate, the questioning towards his gender identity and presentation, not to mention his romantic inclination.

He was twelve, he wasn't out thinking about sexual things. What did being a boy entail? He was assigned male at birth, it was how he identified for the most part, and yet, and yet, he was never " _boy enough_ ". Never quite the ideal, to him, it would seem just like being quirkless, he was a failure at something outside of his control.

/../

Outside of the realm of self-discovery and how awful people could be.

Twelve was the age most of the girls in his grouping were preparing or starting on en pointe. Midoriya was interested but he had just begun coming out of his shell. Doing contemporary and the basics of ballroom almost required it. Still, en pointe was interesting but not something he was particularly upset about not doing.

Traditionally males usually do not ever dance en pointe, but the studio and the world weren't inherently strict, and the option to learn was available, he just felt he was neither ready emotionally or physically for that choice in his life.

He was often questioned about his gender identity so often or mocked for it, that he had begun to really question it and look into as much information as he could on the gender spectrum. And of course, that lead to other open discussions on sexualities and such, he was glad at least his mother was rather open about sex ed, though embarrassing, he felt he could come to her with any questions and she would listen without shunning him.

For the most part, no matter what others said, he was becoming assured that he mostly related to the gender he was assigned at birth, but also he might be nonbinary. He wasn't too sure and wasn't in a huge rush to label it quite yet.

Especially since in class, aside from the girls doing en pointe, they had really begun to toughen down on partner routines and lifts.

It did not help his ego or mind any in the fact he seemed to be the same height if not shorter than the girls in the class, added onto the fact, he could hardly lift any of them for more than a few seconds. He would really need to work on that...especially if he wanted to go into heroics...

After a few more failed attempts in class during one session, one of the girls remarked that they could probably lift him instead. Before he could even finish processing the thought, the girl was asking if they could reverse the positions and in the air, he went.

Izuku's face burned bright, but he found for once how people can laugh _with_ you and not **at** you.

And honestly, it was indeed pretty funny if he thought about it.

The director had looked over the proceedings in mirth as it was Izuku who was twirled around in pirouettes instead of his partner.

Sometimes it was good to let children be children and not have them take lessons as do or die.

The class wasn't all friends, but maybe they were getting there, just perhaps.

For a while when they were younger, there had been an attempt to ostracize him a bit as he was the only boy of their group. But the issue had been snuffed out by the director before it could even become a hint of a larger issue.

Midoriya reverently wished that the issue could have been handled as well in school as things were handled in the dance studio, but things aren't fair and the world wholly just, which was the exact reason he'd take the world by storm and change it himself.

/../

Izuku is fourteen and he knows he's different he doesn't need to be told as much and yet they do it anyway.

One of the dance instructors, one Midoriya got along with passively asked him if he went out picking fights purposefully. The accusatory nature was not new, and yet still he fumbled with the reply. It was obvious to him what the issue was, people were picking fights with _him_ , not the opposite. It was mindboggling, upsetting but also nothing new.

He was weak _now_ , but he was getting there, they wouldn't always get to him.

Strengthening the body was tiring, strengthening the mind was another whole battlefield.

Especially when it came to one particular explosive classmate and former friend.

Izuku couldn't explain or try to understand the abuse he suffered, he could only hope that if he could do better, be better, it would be _better_ ; not realizing he didn't need to be anything other than be himself to know that he deserved better.

...For all the awfulness of Bakugo, at least he wasn't homophobic.

That was certainly a new development... Midoriya had been hiding out when he heard the slur with his name thrown in the mix.

Izuku was more than sure the kid that said it didn't even _know_ the full implications of it.

That doesn't make things right.

Bakugo in an odd twist of fate had exploded the kid, talking about not wanting to hear such bigotry, which the hypocrisy and double standard would have amused him if he hadn't been so shocked still.

Izuku didn't know what to make of it. For the present moment he just curled up in the corner he was hidden in, not even knowing when he had begun crying.

He waited until the voices were long gone, he wasn't aware of time, he drifted through the rest of it, got up, washed his face and headed home.

He would later regret not being able to put together a more appropriate face to greet his mother with, her entire composure wrapped in concerned and grew more at his unresponsive demeanor.

Izuku glided through dinner, did he manage to eat at all? He's not sure but all too suddenly, it's hours later and he's more than sure his mother isn't awake, he breaks down, what did he do to earn such treatment? What could he have done to prevent it?

He asks himself and asks himself over and over in his head. Was it his mumbling? The way he tended to stare at Bakugo? He only ever admired him, wanted to be him, wondering what happened?

The answer was nothing, he did nothing to deserve it and almost nothing could have prevented it. Even if one adjusts their actions, their morals and so on, you can't control the choices another person makes.

/../

He would change his fate.

Midoriya Izuku would change the fate that deemed his value as inconsequential to the world, the ideals society wanted to push on him.

Society thought him useless, many peers thought he'd be better off gone and dead.

And in the realization of, whatever he does, someone _somewhere_ will hate him, _judge_ him, he realized, _**so what did it matter?**_

What did it matter if he had chosen to: instead do sports instead of ballet; his classmates would still hate him.

So he might as well enjoy what he did.

Even if he acted like what a " _man's man"_ supposdly was, people would still say it wasn't enough, so why not paint his nails and grow out his hair. He would defy peoples perceptions and not meet their standards, but why should he perform to a standard of acceptability to someone who didn't give two shits about him?

People were always telling him what he couldn't do, why he shouldn't do it, but why did it matter?

They would always look down on him, so he might as well do what he likes, enjoy being happy, even when they try to bring him down.

Live his best life and strive to be the best person he could be.

Even though it didn't matter, he still cared, he cared so much, but with the revelation of, pointlessness, he felt so much lighter in a sense to rid himself of worry over things he couldn't control. Sure it would upset him, but he would no longer dictate his life around it.

His revelation and spark of life, made his once technical, mechanical moves looser, he had always been good, but the flow of dance thrummed within him now.

Izuku thrived, and he danced and found a form of expression just for him and nobody else.

He would live to see his dreams come true, he would.

/../

School, was still school, but he was surviving just a bit better, the girls in his grouping at the dance academy helped incredibly.

Midoriya was happy to play as playtest dummy when they wanted to try new nail polish techniques or be the practice partner for mastering the winged eyeliner look.

Overall he was rather impassive about makeup in general but genuinely liked having his nails done. Writing, doing manual work or even cooking, looking down at his hands to see bright colored patterns on his fingers filled him with content.

While he didn't give a single flying fuck on whether or not guys "should" wear nail polish, he 'd still rather not deal with the shit he'd get at school for it; like adding oil to the fire.

He'd been growing out his hair, it wasn't so much longer in an overt manner, but his hair was rather thick and plentiful enough to pull back in a small bun or ponytail if he wanted. He let the front grow longer down the sides of his face compared to the rest of his hair.

He didn't have any particular reason why he was growing it out, he just didn't see a reason not to. It was something inside his realm of control, when so few things were, the little autonomy given to him he cherished.

Plus with his hair now longer, he could adorn colorful scrunchies, he had been both surprised and delighted to find plenty of All Might ones. Again, he didn't actually like wearing them in easily recognizable places in public and most certainly not in school.

But on his lower mood days, he'd wear one around his wrist in secret, though hidden it made all the difference knowing it was there.

/../

His mother, bless her heart had been nothing but supportive as he discovered himself, found new ways to express himself. The only thing she had reservations about would be his still solid interests in heroics, but he knew he had to try. She'd let him try and if he fell while trying, well, she'd still be there.

And knowing that meant more than the world to him.

/../

At fourteen he encounters the sludge villain.

He moves without thought, jumps and runs, kicks and he's throwing his bag.

Staring into the glaring eyes of a former friend turned tormentor, Midoriya had endless chances to walk away.

In this instance, he fights all he has.

The day is saved, not by him, but by All Might.

He's lectured, dream crushed, and by some miracle righted all over again.

"You too can be a hero!"

When he breaks down in the street, for once no shame follows, finally, _**finally**_ , he has taken the steps on his path of dreams.

/../

Working out with All Might, following his regime is...intense.

Izuku is simultaneously totally out of his element and also retains some semblance of familiarity with the workout and burn that dance has always provided him.

For years, he had worked on flexibility and grace, and muscle was an after the fact, _this_ was building up muscle directly which caused a stark difference. He and All Might both were glad he didn't need to start from complete scratch. That would've been a nightmare.

He still begins with warm-ups and ends with cooldowns, but instead of focusing on his lower half and putting power into his legs, he's now working on his upper body strength and arms.

Doing both the cleanup of the mass dumping site while still keeping up with every ballet lesson tires him out more than he thought it would, and he soon short after overworks himself and receives a lecture both from his dance instructor and All Might on the importance of moderation and while working out is important in building strength and other skills, without a balance of well balanced meals on time and sleep, then all his effort would be a moot point which no one wanted.

With great purpose and determination, Midoriya was shaping up to be a fantastic young hero in training.

* * *

I've been working on this since the middle of the school year last year, but i really thought it'd be perfect to upload for the holidays, but life be like that ¯\\_༼ ಥ ‿ ಥ ༽_/¯ and didn't go according to plan. I was also planning on completing this entirely and then posting, but at the paste I'm moving my written text to typed text, I might as well post now, and give y'all what I have hopefully push me to complete it. And if you're a fan of my other works, do know they are still being worked on! I got really busy near mid to end of year with school, and currently back in session now. So still feeling moderately overwhelmed and generally mostly tired. I appreciate every bit of feedback I get and I try to take my time to update, of course I still have plenty of mistakes, but I think I'm learning ;v;, anyway that was a whole lot of nothing just to say, hope you enjoy! Sorry for the lull in updates and please review!


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